Aldabra Atoll (Indian Ocean, Grande Terre, Picard, Malabar), introduced on Curieuse and Fregate (granitic Seychelles). Small groups exist on Cerf, Moyenne, Silhouette, Cousin, Cousine, Bird and Denis in the central Seychelles, on several of the Amirantes, and on Changu Island near Zanzibar (Tanzania).

Nomenclature: OPINION 2316 (Case 3463) has resolved that A. gigantea is the name of this species and T. dussumieri is suppressed. See Frazier et al. (2009) and Chambers et al. (2010) for details.

Conservation: Note that species of Cylindraspis represent a different lineage and are only known as being subfossil (C. borbonica, C. vosmaeri [extinct 1795], C. peltastes, C. triserrata (Mauritius) and C. inepta; see Austin et al. 2002). Cylindraspis indica has been extinct since 1760 (fide JOSEPH-OUNI 2005). A. g. hololissa appears to live only in captivity now (i.e. the species is extinct in nature). A. g. daudini is presumed to be extinct now as it has not been collected since ~1830. A. g. hololissa and A. g. arnoldi appear to live only in captivity now (i.e. the subspecies are extinct in nature). A. g. daudini is presumed to be extinct now as it has not been collected since ~1830. Cylindraspis indica and C. vosmaeri have gone extinct around 1840 and 1795, respectively (TTWG 2010). Le & Raxworthy 2017 discuss the evolution and dispersal of Cylindraspis sp. and related species. We have deleted Aldabrachelys abrupta GRANDIDIER 1868 and Aldabrachelys grandidieri VAILLANT 1885 from our list as they are both extinct now (TTWG 2017).

Aldabrachelys gigantea (= Dipsochelys dussumieri) is the only member of the genus Aldabrachelys which is still found in the wild (all other species are either extinct or are maintained exclusively in captivitiy). wild. Bourne and Coe (1978) estimated that 150,000 individuals survived on Aldabra, although resource depletion (Gibson and Hamilton, 1984) and competition with goats have since caused population declines. Aldabran tortoises were recently introduced to Curieuse Island (1978–1982) and Fregate Island (1968–1973) in the Seychelles as a conservation strategy and tourist attraction (Hambler, 1994). Aldabrachelys gigantea daudinii = Dipsochelys dussumieri daudinii has been extinct since ca. 1830-1850.